


Oh Captain, My Captain

by lostin_space



Series: Time After Time 2020❤️️ [2]
Category: Roswell New Mexico (TV 2019)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Pirate, Found Family, Lust at First Sight, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-13
Updated: 2020-04-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 04:33:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23629288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lostin_space/pseuds/lostin_space
Summary: Michael tries to escape where he isn't wanted and finds an unexpected place where he is.
Relationships: Michael Guerin/Alex Manes
Series: Time After Time 2020❤️️ [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1699378
Comments: 9
Kudos: 60
Collections: Time After Time: A Roswell New Mexico Alternate Era AU Event





	Oh Captain, My Captain

**Author's Note:**

> for day 2 of the Time After Time event: pirates!
> 
> loosely (major emphasis on loosely) based on the book series vampirates that I read literally almost a decade ago now and I think about regularly even though I have no memory of the plot outside of orphans getting lost at sea

Michael stared at his home. 

Or, what he called his home. Did it really count if you weren’t wanted? It didn’t matter. This little island was all he’d ever known, but he was tired of not being wanted. 

The plan was to sail away on his little rowboat and to go to the mainland. He knew it wasn’t far, about an hour and a half to the west. He just had to make it there and then he could make a life for himself where no one knew him. Something new was so close and just out of reach. He was  _ tired  _ of it being out of reach.

He was going to grab it.

Without another look back, Michael grabbed the edge of his rowboat and started pushing it into the ocean, going until the water reached his waist before jumping in the boat and grabbing a paddle and pushing his way west. He was going to find somewhere that wanted him. He was going to be wanted.

Michael didn’t realize that maybe he was going the wrong way until it felt like he’d been gone a while and the color of the water just kept getting darker. Sure, it was night time, but the water should’ve gotten lighter as he got closer to the mainland. It should have. But it wasn’t. 

On top of that, the waters were still, eerily still despite the wind whipping around. Fear slowly filled his stomach as he realized he’d clearly messed up.

A crack of thunder shook him to his core just a few seconds before lightning lit up the sky, confirming his suspicions about the water. Even with the light, he couldn’t see a single bit of land in any direction. Had he even gone west? Damn him for forgetting a compass.

“Oh, no,” he whispered to himself as it went from an empty sky to storming. The wind picked up even more, pushing his boat in any direction it pleased before he could even kind of get a grasp on where he might be.

Then he heard the wave.

Michael looked up towards the sound and saw a wave coming his way, towering so high that he knew he was a goner. He had no way to escape, he had no shelter. This was it. He sat down on the floor of the boat and bowed his face into his knees, wrapping his arms over the back of his head and waited.

The wave crashed over his boat and destroyed it without remorse. He was thrown into the water, spinning around in every which way until he had no idea where up was anymore. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t see, he had no boat.

Then the world went black.

What felt like seconds later but couldn’t possibly be, Michael found himself coughing and a rough hand was slamming against his back so hard that it hurt. He gasped and coughed and gasped some more, frantically looking around. 

He was surrounded by people he’d never seen in his life, all dressed in bleak clothing and not-so-clean faces. They were all big, tanned men that looked down at him like he was a brand new creature. He couldn’t focus on any of them.

“Hello?” he said, voice hoarse. They all looked around, seemingly proud of themselves.

“You alright, kid?” one of them said. Michael blinked up at him before nodding slowly. “Good.”

“We thought you were dead, you were floatin’ in the water,” another said, “Cap told us to pull you up anyway, see what we could do. And here you are.”

“Oh,” Michael said. He didn’t know what to say or how to feel. He just wanted to get to the mainland and now he was… Well, where was he?

“Cap! He’s awake!” one of them shouted before Michael could even ask any questions. 

The group of men fell silent as they made room for a man to stroll up to him, outfit on par with the rest of them but with a wooden leg. He had a clear higher level of command. They all seemed to look up to him, even the ones that were taller. If the men he’d woken up to were scary, this man was terrifying. Oh, and he was gorgeous. Michael didn’t breathe as he stepped up to him.

“Good to see you alive,” he said, “I don’t like dead men on my ship. Tell me your name.”

“Michael,” he answered softly. Cap, the captain, nodded.

“Now, tell me, why were you face down in the middle of the ocean? Where did you come from?”

Michael gulped, “I-I’m from Truman Isle.”

“Where’s that?” a man whispered.

“It’s a lighthouse island, hardly 50 people even reside there,” the man in front of him said, confused eyes set on Michael, “What were you doing in the ocean?”

“I was leaving. I wasn’t wanted there,” Michael responded. As confused and scared as he was of these men, he saw no use in lying. “I was trying to make it to the mainland, but a storm came and ruined my boat.”

“You survived the storm?” the man asked, raising a doubtful eyebrow. Michael nodded. He took a heavy breath and nodded. “Right. Stand to your feet and come to my quarters and we’ll discuss what exactly to do with you.”

With a little help from the large men, Michael did just that. His feet didn’t quite cooperate and he still felt woozy, but he did his best to follow the man who clearly ran this ship. It was strange. When he’d gotten on that boat in desire for a new life, he hadn’t expected it to end up here. 

“Sit,” the Captain instructed as they walked into his quarters. Michael looked around the room as he made his way to sit in front of the desk. There were books everywhere along with a bunch of other items. Some were expensive, others wern’t, most were just  _ stuff.  _ Michael blinked a few times as he slowly put together where he was.

“Are you pirates?” Michael asked cautiously. Captain smiled and huffed a laugh, lacing his fingers as he rested his hands on the desk. It was such a sight that Michael felt his stomach churn. No wonder people back home didn’t like him. He couldn’t even look at a man’s hands without thinking things he shouldn’t.

“Does that scare you?” Captain asked. Michael couldn’t think of answer fast enough because  _ scare  _ didn’t seem like the right term. “So, what exactly is your plan? You said you were headed for the mainland—we’re far off course for that now, but we could turn around if you made it worth our while.”

Michael stared at him for a moment. Tanned skin, long dark hair, nice eyes, illustrious  _ lips  _ of all things. His shirt was all open and billowy, exposing chest hair that felt almost too obscene for Michael’s eyes. He eventually realized he was staring which he usually never did. How long had he been unconscious? Was his mind alright?

“I-I don’t have anything to offer,” Michael admitted, “My mother abandoned me on the Isle when I was a baby. I was raised sort of, sort of by everyone. They didn’t like me too much. Said I was trouble.”

Captain’s face got a bit grim, nodding his head. Michael got the idea that that wasn’t good. Would he throw him overboard because he couldn’t give them any money? He bowed his head.

“I wasn’t very wanted where I’m from either,” Captain said. Things went quiet for another moment as Michael wondered if he was supposed to say something comforting. How exactly did one comfort a pirate captain? “Right, well, that puts us in a predicament—what exactly do I do with you?” Michael’s eyes widened involuntarily which just made the captain smile. “I’m not going to kill you.”

“Thank you.”

“So, here are your options as I see it. You can get off at our next stop, or,” he said, “you can stay.”

Michael blinked a few times in surprise. “I can stay?”

“You can. If you work, obviously. We can figure out what you’re good at and that can be your duty. You could be apart of the crew,” he said, a smile on his face. The offer did sound enticing. He wanted to start anew… What was better than an instant job, home, and friends? 

“Are you serious?”

“Yes, I am. And I’m only offering because I understand why you want to leave. Otherwise, I wouldn’t. This is a one time offer,” Captain explained, “Are you in?”

“I…” Michael said, trying to make sense of it all. Just a few minutes prior, he was coughing up water. His mind still felt woozy. He still kept thinking about those hands.

“I don’t have all day,” Captain pressed. Michael blinked hard.

“Is it forever?”

“No, you can leave when you want,” Captain filled in, “I don’t force anyone to stay. Everyone is here by choice.”

“Why me?” he asked softly. 

Captain tilted his head back, leaning back into his chair. Then he was silent for a moment, just staring at him. Michael didn’t know if he was supposed to answer his own question or not. He took in the captain even more as the time continued to pass, eyes lingering on his chest and his hands. He swallowed hard and licked his lips.

“That’s why,” Captain said. Michael blinked in surprise.

“Huh?”

Captain leaned forward again with his eyes set on him. “You’re free here.”

Michael stared at him with wide eyes and he got it. So he agreed.

“Okay. I’ll join the crew.”

Captain smiled slowly and nodded, standing up. Michael took that as an opportunity to look at parts of him that he couldn’t see behind the chair which made him laugh. Michael liked that he could look at him and he didn’t mind. In fact, if he wanted to look at Michael that same way right back, he would love it. Later, when he felt more confident, he would ask for it. And, later, Captain would do that and so much more.

But right now, he was simply the crew.

“Call me Alex.”

**Author's Note:**

> also on my tumblr: spaceskam


End file.
